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Holy Monday 2015

Here are the last two paragraphs from my sermon yesterday. If you would like to read the rest of the sermon please contact me.

“Holy Week, like the 40 days of Lent, forces us into deeper reflection about who we are as children of God, what we have done that has not been Christ like and where we might make changes.
We don’t like to think for very long about Jesus on the cross. The longer we focus on him being on the cross the more we start to realize we likely would have been part of the crowd that put him there. We are part of the crowd who put him there; we might not know that we have shouted “crucify him” but because of our sinfulness as humans, we have and we continue to shout it even unconsciously.

If I try to put myself into this story- I become torn, I want to be one of the ones waving the palm branch and shouting “Hosanna in the highest”. I want to be brave enough to pull my sword out when the guards come to arrest Jesus. I want to be better than Peter and not deny that I know who Jesus is. I want to be at the foot of the cross with Mary and help carry him to the tomb…I want to do all of those things.

But I’m scared to death that I wouldn't. I’m afraid that I could be one of the high priest saying “get rid of this trouble maker before he makes us all look bad”.  I’m afraid that I’ll deny him more than the 3 times Peter did. I’m scared that no matter what when the time came I would be shouting “crucify him!”

Then I remember that even if I would do those things- Jesus will remember me, Jesus will forgive me, and lead me back to where I’m supposed to be.


This week, we will all have moments where we are the spitting image of all of those who turned on Jesus, we will also, I hope, have moments where we will wait faithfully at the foot of the cross. I challenge you to put yourself deep into this Holy story this Holy Week, even if it makes you uncomfortable, especially if it makes you scared or upset. Stay with those feelings, dwell with them a little longer than you normally would. You won’t be alone as you walk this valley. Christ walks before you, Christ walks beside you, making the path straight. Amen.” 


Sermon preached Palm Sunday March 29,2015 at First Christian Church(Disciples of Christ) Oskaloosa, Iowa.
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